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- Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 12:30:02 -0500
- Sender: Qualitative Research for the Human Sciences <QUALRS-L@UGA.BITNET>
- From: 00rlblomeyer@BSUVAX1.BITNET
- Subject: Re: Triangulation
- Lines: 52
-
- David: If we get off onto a discussion of triangulation, will we digress
- into the infinite vortex of issues concerning relativism? If social events
- are interpreted by multiple persons, then there are multiple viewpoints
- on their meaning. This may or may not be problematic depending on the
- viewpoint of the individual "researcher" involved. Many aspects of this
- problem with relativity have been discussed by our methodological godpersons
- in program evaluation. It is worthwhile to consider their viewpoints and
- dialogues before thinking about breaking new ground.
- In the volume entitled SAFARI: Innovation Evaluation Research and the Problem
- of Control (Ed. Barry Macdonald & Rob Walker), Center for Applied Research
- in Education, University of East Anglia, Norwich UK NR4 7TJ... we find an
- interesting piece of conceptual analysis by Hans Brugelmann entitled "Towards
- the Use of Checks and Balances in Educational Evaluation: On the Use of Social
- Control in Research Designs". I think he gives us an excellent point for
- beginning a dialogue relevant to triangulation and relativistic interpretation:
- (Pg. 40-41)
- THE CONTROLLED RELATIVITY PARADIGM
- Difficulties in describing specific situations or in generalizing about them
- therefore are:
- - the "archimedean fallacy", i.e. knowledge cannot be validated externally;
- - the "deductive fallacy", i.e. the interpretation of general rules with
- respect to specific cases cannot escape value-laden judgements;
- - the "mirror fallacy", i.e. the fact that ouur mind is not just copying
- reality;
- - the "consistency fallacy", i.e. the fact that no two social situations are
- alike;
- - the "object fallacy", i.e. the inference of the observer in the field and
- its "re-activeness";
- - the "inductive fallacy", i.e. the logical impossibility of predicting the
- future from past regularities.
- (Pg. 41)
- ... In spite of the fact that the criticism levelled against these paradigms
- [heuristic/naturalistic] is at a level of general principle, some people
- still hope that these deficiencies can be overcome by inventing new
- methodologies. (cf. J. Habermas for example, who has who has criticized
- Popper on similar grounds as I have but still hopes for some sort of
- "objectivity" on other grounds, see Habermas 1968 for instance). I strongly
- believe this to be mistaken. Moreover, I consider the whole notion of
- "objectivity" to be dangerous to social science. However carefully we qualify
- and resrtict its meaning, it will still carry the connotation of an externally
- valadated and therefore binding kind of knowledge. We have to face the fact,
- however, that social research cannot be unbiased and its results, therefore,
- cannot claim a particular authority. [end quote]
- Well, now that I've thrown out a radical relativist position, what does this
- mean for triangulation and other methods that may add "authority" to qualitative
- research? Is there anything WRONG with multiple interpretations? Does the
- responsible "researcher" enjoy some hegonomy regarding the MEANING of an
- observed social event? Or, are we so conditioned to accepting idealist positions
- that we are driven to exclude other possibilities and determine the "right
- answer"?? What does method have to do with social reality?
- Bob Blomeyer, Teachers College, Ball State University
- 00RLBLOMEYER@BSUVC.BSU.EDU
-